Public hearings, as part of a parliamentary inquiry, began in Melbourne this week, following the written submission period.

The state's Law Reform, Road and Community Safety Committee flagged Wodonga a place for regional discussion. A forum is expected to be held sometime after September, however a date hadn't been set.

Wodonga's Abbey Growden, 18, was one of four North East residents who entered a written submission to the inquiry. She argued there should be no change to the current system.

“I have only in the last couple of months gained my Victorian red P-plate licence,” her submission reads.

“Without that extra year of experience, I would not be the driver I am today.

“As a first-hand witness to the damage of losing a young person in our community, it does not only cause damage to the immediate family and friends, the entire community is affected.

“That is not something I can support.”

Victoria is the only state or territory that requires drivers to be 18 before obtaining a licence.

VicRoads and the RACV put forward cases against changing the status quo.

Both organisations warned lowering the age could have fatal consequences.

“It has been estimated that lowering the licensing age from 18 to 17 years in Victoria would lead to an additional 10 fatalities, 241 serious injuries, and 714 minor injuries each year,” the VicRoads submission read.

The inquiry, set up in December, attracted 101 written submissions from across the state by the May 30 deadline.

Discussion circulated around the role of licencing in addressing issues such as high youth unemployment and a lack of public transport in regional areas.

The inquiry also looked at the impact on the road toll and at separating the legal driving and drinking ages. 

Wodonga father David Roberts said the age for car and motorcycle users should be lowered, to bring Victoria inline with the rest of the country.

“In country areas we are not blessed with trams, buses and trains to get to work or study, so there is a huge reliance n parents to fill this role,” he wrote to the inquiry.

“It was not fun transporting my son to work at 6am when he got his apprenticeship for six months.”

Lauren Elvin, of Tallanagatta, said she grew up in Albury and wanted her daughter to have the same driving opportunities she had as a teenager.

A report date was set for November 30 but, with added hearings, the committee expects it won't be tabled until December or January.